Top Chef’s Kristen Kish Had Some ‘Doubt’ About Replacing Padma Lakshmi

Kristen Kish knows what it’s like to win Top Chef, but taking over as host of the long-running Bravo competition show was almost more daunting.

In a new interview with Midwest Living, Kish, 40, shared how it felt to replace Emmy-nominated host Padma Lakshmi, who decided to leave Top Chef in 2023 following season 20.

“As a competing chef, it’s hard because you don’t know what’s going on. You’re thrown a new challenge and just trying to make it one more day. What’s hard about hosting is the expectation of having to fill the position that Padma held for a very long time. And she was very good at it,” Kish said of competing on and hosting the culinary juggernaut. “Everyone knows the Tom [Colicchio], Gail [Simmons], Padma trio — to have to step into that is challenging. So, both are difficult. And both are gratifying and amazing.”

Kish, who was crowned Top Chef over Brooke Williamson in season 10, added that of course doubt creeps in when you replace a beloved host like Lakshmi, 53. When asked if she had any reservations about taking Lakshmi’s job, Kish told Midwest Living: “About taking the job? No. About how well I could do the job? Yes. I knew I had big shoes to fill. I don’t think anyone would have taken that job without a little bit of doubt. But that doubt wasn’t big enough for me to say I’m not going to do it. That’s letting fear lead your decision-making. I worked hard not to let that happen.”

As for what Gail Simmons, 47, thinks of her and Tom Colicchio’s new sidekick, she said Kish “brings the perspective of a contestant, something we’ve never had in that role before.”

Kish, who has appeared on various cooking shows and also hosts National Geographic’s Restaurants at the End of the World, was thrilled to fill Lakshmi’s seat at judges table. “I am full of gratitude and wonderful overwhelm,” she wrote via Instagram after Bravo officially announced her new gig in July 2023. “I am absolutely honored and over joyed to get started ♥️.”

Kish found out she got the job while traveling from Thailand to New York.

“I land [in Dubai] and turn on my phone, and have tons of text messages from my manager who’s like, ‘You need to call me right now.’ My first reaction was, ‘Oh, my God, what happened? What’s the bad news?’” Kish told Midwest Living. “The job was completely not on my radar, especially while I’m in the middle of the Dubai airport trying to get through security. By the time I got home, the wheels were already in motion for me to go to L.A. to meet with people. It all happened very fast.”

Lakshmi, who decided to leave Top Chef to focus more on her “personal life,” congratulated Kish, writing via X, “I’m so proud of you @KristenLKish and am over the moon that you’ll be taking over for me on @BravoTopChef !!! I’ll be rooting for you and our whole crew next season.”

Season 21 of the culinary competition series sees 15 hopefuls compete in Quickfire and Elimination challenges in Wisconsin for the title of Top Chef and the $250,000 prize.

Here’s hoping Kish keeps up with Lakshmi’s iconic “please pack your knives and go” line.

Top Chef premieres on Bravo Wednesday, March 20, at 9 p.m. ET.